Village Razings

Raze – v. to tear down; demolish; level to the ground

A government that targets its own people's homes, burning them to the ground?

Five Villages Burned to the Ground

In Abyei, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan, the Government of Sudan, is reported to regularly destroy civilian structures. The Satellite Sentinel Project has documented the alleged deliberate burning of five towns in the border areas. In the last year, hundreds of peoples’ homes have been destroyed. Satellite imagery shows that Government of Sudan-aligned forces allegedly continue to target civilian structures.

SSP's first report, on March 4, 2011, documented intentionally burned civilian structures, consistent with reports of fighting in the Abyei region. A follow-up report confirmed at least 300 buildings strategically burned. The Government of Sudan is known for razing villages in Darfur, and is seen using this same tactic in Abyei.

Eyes in the Sky

Analysis of DigitalGlobe imagery identifies specific razing attacks. In the case of numerous attacks in the Abyei region, satellite imagery shows armored vehicle tracks and craters consistent with aerial bombardment around the areas that were razed.

Looting Abyei

In addition to the crime of targeting and burning civilian structures, on May 26, 2011, SSPreported on evidence of SAF looting Abyei, yet another war crime under the Geneva Convention. Destruction and appropriation of property without the justification of military necessity is a violation of international humanitarian law. SAF and Misseriya militias looted the World Food Programme compound, which we caught by satellite.

As the conflict in Abyei reportedly ended, and Government of Sudan focused its destructive eye on South Kordofan and Blue Nile, Sudan. Reports as recent as December 2011 and January 2012 document intentional razing of civilian structures.

Who We Are and What We Do

The Satellite Sentinel Project, or SSP, a partnership between the Enough Project and DigitalGlobe, conducts monitoring of both Sudan and South Sudan to assess the human security situation, identify potential threats to civilians, and detect, deter and document war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Enough Project provides field research, policy context, and communications strategy. DigitalGlobe provides imagery from its constellation of satellites and geospatial analysis from the DigitalGlobe Analysis Center. SSP is funded primarily by Not On Our Watch.